Well, there you have it. James Gunn has revealed Superman and Batman movies coming soon(ish) with the DCU Chapter 1 slate. He also announced a ton of other movies and shows for DCU Chapter 1 (their equivalent of MCU's "Phases"), and that the "title" of DCU Chapter 1 is "Gods and Monsters."
Gunn explained it all in a video you can watch below, and he also spoke kindly about the upcoming DC movies (The Flash, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Aquaman 2 and Blue Beetle). Gunn also broke down how the DCU will exist alongside other non-canonical DC movies and shows, which will have the Elseworlds branding. That's where you'll find The Batman 2 (due Oct. 3, 2025) and Joker 2: Folie a Deux.
Superman: Legacy
Gunn calls Superman: Legacy "The true beginning of the DCU." He'll be writing the film, which isn't a Superman origin story. A release date of July 11, 2025 was announced.
Peter Safran was quoted by Deadline as saying the film "focuses on Superman’s balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He’s the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, he’s kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned." Its Superman has not been cast yet.
This is not the J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates Black Superman title previously announced (which would exist as an Elseworlds DC title).
DCU's Batman and Robin arrive in The Brave and the Bold
DC will now have two Batmen, and one has his own son in the role of Robin. The Brave and the Bold, a movie based on the Grant Morrison Batman arc, will feature Bruce Wayne as Batman and introduce his son Damien Wayne as Robin.
Neither role has been cast yet, and Gunn says that Damien is "a little son of a b***h." Bruce didn't know Damien for his first eight to 10 years of life, and the kid is an assassin and murderer, which will obviously clash with Bruce's rules of engagement.
Lanterns is one of the next big HBO Max DCU shows
An HBO Max series that Gunn described as similar to True Detective, Lanterns is about the Lantern Corp, specifically Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Gunn said "A few other Lanterns peppered in" throughout the series, which is a "terrestrial" series (read: on Earth). The Lanterns will discover a "terrifying" mystery that ties into the larger overall story of DCU Chapter 1.
Other DCU movies and shows
Comics cult hero Booster Gold will get an HBO Max series about a "loser" (Gunn's word) hero who travels back to present day to find the public's love. Gunn called it the "superhero version of impostor's syndrome."
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, is a big sci-fi movie about a jaded Supergirl who didn't get the loving childhood that Superman/Kal-El got. She had to watch everyone she knows die around her. It adapts Tom King's run on Supergirl.
There's also a "very dark horror story" movie about the origins of Swamp Thing, which will be tonally outside of the DCU.
Elsewhere, there's an animated TV series called Creature Commandos, which looks very much like your standard James Gunn project, as it's all about a group of weirdos. It will have Weasel from The Suicide Squad and Rick Flag’s father, Rich Flag Sr.. The series has been written by Gunn, and its major characters that appear down the line will be portrayed by the same actors who voice them here — as Gunn and Safran are pushing for unity across the non-Elseworlds parts of the DCU.
Waller will bring back Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in a live action TV series, where she works with members of Team Peacemaker. Gunn called it a "fantastic story that's out of this world."
The Authority is a film, based on the Wildstorm characters. It's a passion project for Gunn, about super heroes who will interact with all the primary DCU characters. The Authority "think the world is broken and want to fix it by any means necessary," according to Gunn. He thinks it's "a very different look at superheroes."
Paradise Lost is a live action TV series that's meant to be similar to Game of Thrones. It's about Paradise Island, better known as Themyscira — the home of Wonder Woman.
